Tag Archives: Crew center

‘Positive Signs’ as Holland America Moving Six Ships Toward U.S.

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Holland America Line is preparing for a gradual restart and is said to be moving six cruise ships toward the U.S. citing positive signs and a new conversation around the return to service.

The news came in a letter sent to crew from President Gus Antorcha, reported by Crew Center, and also obtained by Cruise Industry News.

“Following in-depth discussions with the CDC, other government agencies, and medical and science authorities, we have decided to start moving six Holland America Line ships toward U.S. waters over the next several weeks to begin completing the requirements for conditional sailing,” Antorcha said in the letter sent to the crew.

The ships heading to U.S. waters are the Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Westerdam, Zuiderdam, and Noordam. Holland America did not specify port information but the line has traditionally had a strong presence in the winter from Port Everglades and Tampa, which would pull from a large drive-to market.

“While there is still much to be done, this is an important first step toward our goal of resuming cruise operation,” the letter said.

“Holland America Line will continue to work with the CDC on our eventual return to guest cruise operations. We are fully aligned with the CDC on our top priorities for compliance, protecting the environment, and the health, safety, and well-being of our guests, the people in communities we touch, our crew, and shoreside employees.”

Cruise ship’s crew keeps it all afloat

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Thanks to the Crew Center.com

Sketched June 1, 2015

With 192 cruises scheduled out of Seattle this year, a scene similar to what I saw recently at Pier 91 repeats almost daily throughout the summer.

Cruise ship baker Allan Isuela and his crew were rushing to make hundreds of bread rolls down in the galleys and casino manager Stoyan Stefanov was taking a final walk through the slot machines on deck eight. Earlier in the morning, 1,200 passengers had disembarked from the Statendam cruise ship, and, just hours later, a new load of passengers were boarding for another two-week journey to Alaska and back.

My whirlwind sketching tour of this Holland America boat took me through piano bars, swimming pools and multiple theaters. What surprised me the most, though, was that 95 percent of the 571 crew are from other countries. Isuela, a 23-year veteran with the cruise line, lives in the Philippines and Stefanov, who has held his job for 12 years, is from Bulgaria.

Despite being away from home for months at a time, Stefanov said the job is fun and rewarding. “People are on vacation … they are always happy.”

Seattle Sketcher Gabriel Campanario: 206.464.8795 orgcampanario@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @seattlesketcher. Gabriel Campanario illustrates life in the Puget Sound region. He has been living and drawing in Seattle since 2006. He’s a Seattle Times artist, founder of Urban Sketchers nonprofit, Spaniard, husband and father.